Ottoson and Boskone

Ottoson Middle School Visit

Ottoson Middle School, you guys rock!

Thank you to all the students, teachers, and librarians who listened to me babble. You all asked so many great questions. I had a fantastic time! (Extra thumbs up to the boy who suggested the attack-potato story.)

You guys now have the distinction of being the largest audience I've ever addressed. (Each grade was 300+ students.) A decade ago, if you'd told me that I'd be talking to that many people at once about writing, I'd have looked at you as if you'd transformed into a pink talking pony with a sparkly tail. But I loved it. (And if you'd told me a decade ago that I would love it, I'd have looked at you as if you'd transformed into the Supreme Ruler of the Pink Sparkle-Ponies.)

Rocky Point Middle School Visit

The day before my Ottoson visit, I'd been scheduled to visit another school, Rocky Point Middle School, but we were snowed out!!! Fortunately, my visit has been rescheduled for March 12th. I'm crossing my fingers that it won't blizzard again. Looking forward to meeting all of you Rocky Point students soon!

Boskone 2010

This past weekend, I was a program participant at one of my favorite conventions: Boskone. If you're in the Boston area and you like fantasy and science fiction, you really should come to this. It's every year around Valentine's Day, and it's filled with people who love books (like yours truly). It's also well-organized. Plus the hotel has soaps shaped like leaves, which makes me happy. I like cute soaps.

Highlights included meals, of course. I had a fun dinner on Friday night with Lev Grossman and Ethan Gilsdorf. On Saturday night, I had a lovely time at dinner with Bruce Coville, Jane Yolen, and Andrew Sigel. (The rest of the meals consisted of loaves of bread provided for free by the con. I inhaled those. Man might not be able to live by bread alone, but with bread and books, this girl can get pretty darn close. Throw in some chocolate and I'm all set.)

I also had some fantastic programming items, including a panel on "Why Adults Love YA" with Bruce Coville, Michael Daley, Margaret Ronald, and Navah Wolfe (in which we waxed poetic and effusive on why YA fantasy/SF rocks the kazbah) and my kaffeeklatsch (in which many awesome people woke up alarmingly early on Sunday morning to chat with me -- thank you!).

And the hallmark of any good con: lots of great conversations with great people throughout the weekend. Especially enjoyed talking with Liz, Sarah, and Emily after my first reading. And I had a ball chatting with fellow admirers of Thundarr the Barbarian!